Saturday, September 21
Lewisburg, Pa.
1 p.m.
Bucknell University
vs
Colgate
Photo by: Lianne Garrahan
Women's Soccer Hosts Colgate, Vs. Cancer Fundraiser Saturday
9/18/2024 2:40:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Colgate (2-6-1, 0-0 PL) at Bucknell (4-2-2, 0-0 PL)
When:Â Saturday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m.
Where:Â Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â BucknellBison.com
Â
Bucknell Women's Soccer Vs. Cancer
The Bucknell women's soccer program has raised funds for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation via the Vs. Cancer organization since 2017, and Saturday's game will be played in honor of those children and teens who have experienced a pediatric brain tumor or cancer diagnosis. The team has raised nearly $68,000 so far for this great cause, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to cancer research and 50 percent going locally to the Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville. Visit curethekids.org to learn more.
Bucknell at a Glance
Â
When:Â Saturday, Sept. 21, 1 p.m.
Where:Â Emmitt Field at Holmes Stadium, Lewisburg, Pa.
Streaming:Â ESPN+
Live Stats:Â BucknellBison.com
Â
Bucknell Women's Soccer Vs. Cancer
The Bucknell women's soccer program has raised funds for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation via the Vs. Cancer organization since 2017, and Saturday's game will be played in honor of those children and teens who have experienced a pediatric brain tumor or cancer diagnosis. The team has raised nearly $68,000 so far for this great cause, with 50 percent of the proceeds going to cancer research and 50 percent going locally to the Janet Weis Children's Hospital in Danville. Visit curethekids.org to learn more.
Bucknell at a Glance
- After posting a solid 4-2-2 non-conference record, the Bison have nothing but Patriot League opponents on the schedule throughout the rest of the regular season. First up is Colgate, head coach Kelly Cook's alma mater, on Saturday at Emmitt Field.
- This will be Bucknell's first home game in 28 days, when the Bison played No. 7 Pittsburgh. Since then, they have played four matches on the road and had another away contest washed out due to severe weather.
- Bucknell went 2-1-1 during that away stretch, including two good wins in Philadelphia over Villanova and Saint Joseph's along with last Sunday's scoreless draw at FDU.
- Bucknell is 2-1-1 at home this season. That Aug. 25 loss to Pitt snapped an 18-match home unbeaten streak (11-0-7) dating back almost two years to a 2022 setback against Princeton. The Bison have not lost to a Patriot League opponent at home since a 1-0 loss to Navy in the final game of the COVID-modified spring 2021 season. Including Patriot League Tournament games, Bucknell is 11-0-6 at Emmitt against league foes over the last three seasons.
- Last Thursday's win over Villanova was a milestone, as the Bison had never beaten the Wildcats in six previous meetings (0-4-2). Teresa Deda scored a brilliant goal in the 35th minute, and Jess Benattar saved a second-half penalty kick to preserve the lead. Benattar made six saves on the way to her first career shutout.
- The Bison kept another clean sheet on Sunday at FDU, allowing only four total shots and none on frame.
- The Bison have given up 10 goals in eight games this season, but eight of those 10 came in two games against No. 7 Pitt and Monmouth. Benattar, who shared time in goal with Dylan Zednik for much of the non-league season, is coming off back-to-back solo shutouts and now leads the Patriot League with a 0.60 goals-against average (3 GA in 450:00).
- Offensively, the Bison have also scored 10 goals in eight games thus far. Deda leads the way with four goals and three assists, and two-time Patriot League Rookie of the Week Katie Connell has three goals. Henna Andican, who is out with an injury, has two goals, and Reese Evans has one.
- Katie Schiano is tied for the team assist lead with Deda with three. Kelley Francis also has a pair of helpers.
- Deda's 11 points are second-most in the Patriot League behind Baylee DeSmit of Loyola with 14. Deda also lost a goal at George Washington when the game was abandoned late in the first half due to weather.
- Deda has 32 career assists, which are three shy of Lisa Gibbons' school record that has been in the books since 1994.
- Deda was the Patriot League Preseason Midfielder of the Year, and she was also one of 44 players named to the 2024 Hermann Trophy Watch List. The Hermann Trophy is given to the national player of the year. Schiano was picked as the Patriot League Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
- Deda ranks fifth among all active Division I players in career assists. The only players with more are Texas' Lexi Missimo (54) and Trinity Byars (37), Pitt's Sarah Schupansky (40), and Auburn's Anna Haddock (37). Missimo and Haddock are both in their fifth years.
- Bucknell has captured three straight Patriot League championships, which is a rarity in the league's history. Before Bucknell, the most recent to do it was Boston University, which won titles in its first three seasons as a league member in 2013-15. Prior to that, it was Colgate winning six in a row from 1994-99 and three straight from 1990-92 during the league's infancy.
- The Bison are one of only seven Division I teams that have won at least their last three league titles. The other six are Memphis (AAC), Florida State (ACC), Saint Louis (A10), Georgetown (Big East), UC Irvine (Big West), and Milwaukee (Horizon).
- Bucknell was picked a close second behind Army West Point in the preseason poll, with third-place Boston University also just a few points back. While Army was the top seed in each of the last two Patriot League Tournaments, the Bison prevailed in penalty-kick shootouts at West Point in the finals both times. Bucknell also won the 2021 championship on the road, clipping Boston University 1-0.
- Bucknell finished 12-4-5 overall and 5-1-3 in the Patriot League last season. Seeded No. 2 in the Patriot League Tournament, the Bison defeated Boston University 3-1 in the semifinals and then outlasted Army in a penalty-kick shootout to claim the title.
- Bucknell faced a Big Ten opponent in the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row, falling to Iowa 2-0 in overtime. It was a similar script as 2022 when the Bison and Ohio State played 90 scoreless minutes before the Buckeyes found the net late in overtime. This time it was the Hawkeyes scoring twice in the extra periods to swipe the first-round verdict.
- Head coach Kelly Cook is in her 10th season at Bucknell, and she has led the Bison to five league titles in her first nine years. Cook owns a career record of 87-60-26 (.578) and a Patriot League mark of 45-18-14 (.675). She has the highest winning percentage of any coach in program history, and she needs seven more wins to equal Ben Landis for the most in team history.
- Cook knows the Patriot League very well, as she was a two-year captain and three-time Second Team All-Patriot League selection at Colgate, where she recorded 27 goals and 23 assists in her career. She ranked in the top 10 in program history in career points (77) and assists. As a junior in 2004, Cook (then Kelly Kuss) was named Patriot League Tournament MVP after leading the Raiders to the league title, and then her team knocked off Arizona in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, marking the first NCAA win in school and league history. Â
- Colgate is 2-6-1 on the season but comes in feeling good after putting four on the board in a 4-1 home win over UAlbany on Sunday. Ari Bezanson scored twice and Ellie Stokes and Demi Maroudas once each to help the Raiders snap a four-game losing streak.
- Colgate also has a 3-0 win over Vermont and a 1-1 tie with Cornell to its credit.
- The only common opponent between Bucknell and Colgate is La Salle. The Bison beat the Explorers 2-1 on opening day, while the Raiders dropped a 2-1 decision in Philadelphia on Sept. 5.
- Bezanson, a Second Team All-Patriot League honoree after scoring seven goals last season, is second in the Patriot League with five tallies in 2024. Seven other Raiders have one each, as the team has combined for 12 in nine games.
- Alli Popham has started all nine games in goal and has 41 saves with 11 conceded. She is fourth in the PL in saves per game (4.6) and sixth in save percentage (.788).
- Colgate was 5-13-2 overall and 3-5-1 in the Patriot League last season. Seeded sixth in the Patriot League Tournament, the Raiders stunned No. 3 Loyola 3-0 in the quarterfinals before falling 1-0 at Army in the semis. Â Â Â Â
- Bucknell is 10-24-3 all-time against Colgate in a series that dates back to 1991.
- Colgate won all four years in which Kelly Cook was a player with the Raiders, outscoring the Bison 7-0 in that span from 2002-05. Bucknell's 2005 team bounced back from that loss to win the Patriot League title.
- Bucknell won 3-0 in the last meeting at Emmitt Field in 2022. Abby Gearhart, Henna Andican, and Reese Evans all scored in the first 37 minutes of the match, and Jenna Hall and Kaylee Donnelly each played a half in goal and combined for the shutout.
- Last year the Bison and Raiders played to a scoreless draw in Hamilton. Hall tallied four saves for the Bison while Alli Popham had six for Colgate. Â
- The Patriot League schedule heats up with two games next week. The Bison will play a mid-week game at American on Wednesday at 4 p.m. American's home field is under construction this fall, so the Eagles are hosting games at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.
- Bucknell returns home the following Saturday, Sept. 28 to face Army West Point in a rematch of the last two Patriot League championships.
Â
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
D
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's SoccerBucknell Volleyball vs. Loyola University (10/4/25)
Sunday, October 05
Richmond at Bucknell Football Game Highlights 10-4-2025
Sunday, October 05
Post Game Interview vs. Richmond
Saturday, October 04
Bucknell Men's Water Polo Vs. George Washington University (10/4/25)
Saturday, October 04